The Home advocate. (Farmerville, La.) 1885-1???, 1887-06-10
"An innocent man would have nothing to

utterly helpless to accomplish anything.
will not go to Jail. had much sooner die. !"
There was an honest earnestness about
the young mans speech that began to tell
on the incredulous detective.
He lowered his revolver.
People from the interior OF Pickles Par.
adise were hocking outside, and this was
no place to exchange condolences.
Let US go to a better place, young man.
| will talk this matter over with you" said
the detective at length.
And then tho two left the vicinity Of the
low tavern together. Scarcely had they
departed when short. heavy figure sprang
to the porch steps and gazed after them.
1t was Lucius Swayne.
So" he exclaimed, in an undertone;
those two men are friendly. Both will
work against me now, for. if am not mis-
taken, that young scamp knows the story
Of the past, and he Will make confdant
of Eagle Gray, the detective. SO let it be.
l shall meet them half way, they can rest
assured of that. l have two enemies to
overcome now who are dangerous to my
future ll-being. l am sorry that this
thing has come to such a pass, but the
men who are on my track. hoping to hound
me to the gallows, will find that | am not
SO green as they imagine"
quatfed glass Of liquor, and then went
once more out into the night
The game is never out until its played
out" muttered the innkeeDer as he moved
swiftly down the street.
It was under the roof of the pretentious
Silver Mine that the detective and Wallis
Wager found a room to themselves where
they could converse without being dis
turbed.
lam convinced that I can trust you
Mr.. Gray. said the young man, as he sat
down facing the New York detective.
Eagle Gray only nodded in reply.
You came to the West in search of this
Burden Brono think you once informed
me. 1 know you by reputation. since am
from New York also. 1t was through a
friend of mine, the old man who was mur-
dered at Bog Tavern, that learned Of this
Brono and of his crimes. Not being a
professional detective, it is not likely that
| sh uld have followed so many hundred
miles on his trail had it not been for the
fact that believed he could give me most
important information regarding one who
was rightfully entitled to an immense prop
erty that l have been holding in trust for
years.
perhaps it is too long story to tell yet
| am convinced that you ou ,ht to know it,
SO that You can act iutelgently. A million
is involved in the case, and you shall be
amply rewarded if you assist me to accom-
plish the work have marked out.
You may depend Oh me-"
And you will hear the story"
II will"
Bending forward, with one hand resting
on the detectives knee, Wallis Wager be-
gan, and talked on anil on, in low, yet
earnest tones, and when at length lie came
10 run stop an hour had passed since they
entered the room.
"You astound me, were the first words
uttered by Detectiye Gray when his young
companion had ctased his narration.
81 have seen this girl Edna. She is Iva
Swayne now, and she fed from home last
night to escape the prosecutions of her un-
Gle and cousin"
Gray then gave full accocnt of his ad-
venture in the hills.
"And that child is lost among the hills.
She will surely perish. Gray. this is bad"
Admitted.
"You will stand by me and help me
tathom the mysteries, and bring the wicked
20 justice and this wronged child into her
:ights?"
Il will"
Both men came to their feet, clasped
silence for some seconds.
Il trust You fully now. Wager. Burden
Brono is in the city, and it seems that we
ought to capture him before he makes his
escape"
I'VE will try it,
And then the two left the room and went
below. Detective Gray went upon the
street, while Wallis haunted the card ROOM
No discoveries were made that night, nor
Tor several days thereafter.
Wallis and Gray, in disguise. visited
sverv den in the city, and afterward
searched the hills in the vicinity without
meeting success. Even old Swayne had
nysteriously disappeared.
The detective finally arrived at the con.
,lusion that the old tavern-keeper had
.opnd Iva and returned with her to his tav-
,rn home. A man was seen who said that
,e met white horse attached to light We
licle leaving the city for the east. with two
persons on the seat. an old man and a girl,
IN the day following the night of the de-
ective's meeting with Swayne.
Il do not imagine harm will come to the
girl for the pres sent. said Eagle Gray; but
if you feel it necessary one of us might |
visit the old tavern"
Tomorrow l will do so, returned WAL |
lis Wager Il am anxious to trap that ras-
cal of . Brono first. before I arrest old
Swayne and his wife. Brono will be an
important witness against them.
He may not choose to tell what he .
knows"
Il imagine he would to save his own neck"
Perhaps, if such an alternative presents
itself, but if he really murdered FREEDOM"
Il am quite sure that he did. His face
was not plainly revealed to me as he sped
from the room, but I concluded that it
must be Brono. You see, was awakened
some time about midnight by noise in the
room.
1T seemed to proceed from my COM
panion's bed. had lain down without re-
moving my clothes, and the moment the
sound reached my ear l sprang up. AZ
did so man was passing swiftly through
The open window to the roof of the veran-
la, where the rain and wind made pande-
nonium Of sound.
Il dashed at him, but he escaped by slip
ping from the roof to the ground. A
lightning fash revealed him as he disap-
peared, and the same gleam revealed some-
hing Just within the window that had evil
1ently been torn loose as he grasped to save
himself from slipping off the veranda root.
secured it; it proved to be gold cuff
outton with peculiar setting. preserved
he button believing that it might lead to
he discovery of the assassin"